I am sharing my personal experience with this auto repair shop because what happened to my car after visiting them was extremely concerning. I originally came here because my Check Engine light was on and I needed to find out what needed to be repaired in order to pass a smog check. They inspected my car and told me that I needed to replace the fuel pump. I am attaching the estimate they provided. Before coming to this shop, I had no problems with my engine. There was no metallic knocking, no unusual engine noise, and the car was driving normally. I had not taken the car to any other repair shop immediately before this happened, and I had not had any recent work done on the spark plugs or inside the engine. This was the only shop that inspected my car immediately before the problem started. About 15-20 minutes after I left this shop, my engine suddenly started making a very loud metallic knocking noise that had never been there before. I immediately contacted the mechanic from this shop and told him what had happened. He came to inspect the car and told me that the problem was now with the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The next day, the engine was removed and taken apart. A foreign metal screw was found inside the combustion chamber/cylinder area. I have photos and video showing the screw inside the engine, as well as a photo of the actual screw after it was removed, and I am attaching those as well. I was told that a foreign screw like this does not simply appear inside a combustion chamber on its own and that it could enter that area through an opening such as the spark-plug hole. Because this shop was the last and only place that inspected my vehicle immediately before the knocking started, I returned to the shop and asked to see their surveillance footage. I wanted to see what had actually been done to my car during the inspection. If the footage had shown that nobody touched anything under the hood or around the engine, I would have accepted that evidence. However, I was told that their surveillance recordings are kept for only five days and that the footage from the day my car was there was no longer available. What concerned me even more was that when I returned asking about the footage and trying to understand what happened, they printed a document stating that the shop was not responsible for the situation and asked me to sign it. I refused to sign it. I also asked questions about what exactly had been done to my vehicle during the inspection, but I did not receive the information I was looking for. I want to be clear: I cannot personally prove who put the screw inside the engine because there is no surveillance footage showing the actual moment. However, I can describe exactly what happened to me: my engine had no metallic knocking before I came here, I had not taken it to another shop immediately beforehand, this shop inspected it, and within approximately 15-20 minutes of leaving, a severe metallic knocking began. Shortly afterward, a foreign metal screw was discovered inside the engine. Because of this sequence of events, my main suspicions and concerns are connected to what happened during or around my visit to this shop. I am attaching photos and documentation so people can see the information for themselves and make their own judgment. After this experience, I personally would not trust this shop with my vehicle again and cannot recommend it to others. read more

I rarely write reviews this long, but Sam Auto Hybrid absolutely earned it. My 2015 Prius turned into an absolute nightmare situation after I brought it to a close friend of mine for a head gasket repair. During the repair, the power control module was accidentally blown and nobody could figure out why. The car ended up going to multiple mechanics, including a Toyota dealership, and after over 2.5 months nobody could get the car fixed. Finally, the original mechanic sent the car to Sam Auto Hybrid in Costa Mesa. Angel and his team had the car diagnosed and back up and running within about a week. The repair ended up costing $2,200, which the original mechanic paid directly to them. Unfortunately, when I picked the car up, something still felt wrong while driving it. I thought the engine had no power because of everything that had happened with the PCM repair. It turns out the brakes were actually locked up, which ended up destroying my brand new rotors and brakes. I brought the car back to Sam Auto assuming something from the PCM repair had caused it. Angel and his team spent FOUR HOURS diagnosing the issue and discovered that someone from another shop had adjusted the linkage in my brake booster assembly and caused the brakes to lock up. Sam Auto had nothing to do with that prior repair, yet they still took the time to properly diagnose it and didn't charge me a penny for the diagnosis. That level of honesty is extremely rare in the auto industry. Angel even offered to replace the damaged rotors and brakes, but since the parts were still under warranty, the original mechanic handled replacing them. The next day I realized my rear window stopped working, so I brought the car back again. Angel quickly tracked it down to a blown fuse, replaced it, and had me back on the road within minutes. After months of stress and multiple shops not being able to figure this car out, Angel and the team at Sam Auto were the ones who finally got everything sorted out properly. Professional, honest, patient, and extremely knowledgeable. I'm grateful for their help and highly recommend them to anyone with a hybrid vehicle. read more

WARNING! AVOID this PLACE! If you already had a bad experience with this business please contact me to attitudeis100@hotmailcom? Let's filing a LAWSUIT against this THIEF? All the good reviews from this business seems to be FAKE from family and friends! BE CAREFUL, The owner Kourosh is VERY HUNGER OF MONEY, RUDE & MEAN and NOT a Honest person! He advertise a low price on Craigslist, just to hooked you up! But once you are there in his business, they are going to RIP YOU OFF! I had the worst experience ever in my lifetime! Last week, when I took my car in the morning to replace the Hybrid Battery in my car, the owner Kockroach and I we agreed an amount of money and when I returned in the afternoon to get my car, he charged me a way more money and He refused to give me the guarantee! They told me that: if you are thinking to return to get the guarantee! YOU MUST BE CRAZY!!! His Employee Angel, he drove me to my place in the morning and He did the job in my car, He told me that he has NOT experience and he is NOT CERTIFIED to fix Hybrid Batteries, he said that he just started to work for Kourosh for about 3 months ago, and He is just learning how to install the hybrid batteries and everything related with the electrical area! When I paid, to them, they took a picture of my credit car from both sides and kept all my card information! In addition to all that, Kourosh and his other employee they both were VERBALLY & PHYSICAL ABUSIVE and DISCRIMINATORY against me! KEEP AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!! read more

Here's the short answer: If you're looking to have your hybrid car serviced here, I HIGHLY recommend having it serviced at Sam Auto Hybrid. This place is AMAZING. I created a Yelp review just to review this place. It's legit. It's awesome. It's everything you're looking for in terms of having your hybrid car repaired. I highly appreciate the transparency in their pricing, and it's one of the most competitive in the market. Additionally, their customer service almost felt white glove and I know I'm definitely coming back here for any hybrid related issues with my car. Angel was the kind individual who helped me in the process of replacing my engine for my Lexus CT200H. He was gracious enough to COME TO MY HOUSE to pick up my car, lend me the company loaner; by the second day he had replaced the entire engine in my car. All throughout the process, he sent me photos of the progress they were repairing. During my interaction with the rest of the team there, all I felt was the warmth one would receive exclusively from a family run business. By the time I left with my keys in my hand, everybody was smiling and waving and saying bye to me as a I left their shop (you rarely get that sort of kindness from A to B in a customer journey). Overall this place is crazy awesome and exceeded any expectations I had for what I first assumed would be a stressful process. They made the journey smooth and I can't recommend them enough. An immense thank you to the Sam Auto Hybrid team! read more

Sorry, but these guys used to be really good years ago. I gave them five stars back then. Even though the manager was somewhat incompetent the mechanics were top notch and went out of their way to service the customer was very reasonable prices. Little by little, over the years, they've gotten more and more sloppy and unreliable. Now it seems like the opposite; the manager is really good but the mechanics are unreliable. They've made several mistakes as I would bring the cars in over the years, but I finally had it after we paid to put in another engine. The warranty was only two years or 18,000 miles so I already knew something was a little disconcerting - but they did not give us any paperwork and verbally "promised" that this engine would run for a very long time. After about 35,000 miles and 1 1/2 years later the entire engine blew and was completely destroyed/unsolvable, and we were told by this mechanic and a separate mechanic that it needed a whole new engine - again! Even though it was out of warranty and we were technically not cheated, they seemed to conveniently forgo their professional standards in telling us that we can trust their skilled competence. So we are done with this business. I'm not necessarily saying all around they'll treat everyone horribly, but it will take them a long time if ever to win back our trust and business. read more

A friend suggested Sam's Auto because he had done business with them before. His high recommendation brought high expectations... and Sam's Auto has delivered beyond those expectations. This place specializes in Prius Hybrids, but I've seen them also work on a variety of other makes and models. The vehicle I purchased was an older Prius (2008 with 200k+ miles), and the shop included a limited warranty with the purchase. It's been nearly a month and they've graciously fixed a couple of small items without issue nor hesitation. Such service not only makes me feel confident in the vehicle, but also the relationship I intend to keep with the shop moving forward with this and other vehicles. I had an aftermarket metal plate installed at another Prius shop near my residence due to the high volume of catalytic converter thefts (I didn't have time to bring it to Sam's), and that shop was informing me of what a good vehicle I was sold by Sam's. That shop had heard of Sam's but had not the opportunity to inspect a vehicle of theirs. He was letting me know about the new items that Sam's had replaced on the car before selling it to me and other details only a mechanic for this type of vehicle would know. Thank you Kourosh, Mustafa, and Angel for your expertise and professionalism! read more

I recently took my Nissan Rogue hybrid to Sam Auto Hybrid mechanic for an oil change service, and I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the service I received. Firstly, the mechanic (Angel) was very knowledgeable and took the time to explain the specific oil requirements for my hybrid vehicle. Thanks to their expertise, they were able to recommend the ideal oil type and viscosity for the Nissan Rogue hybrid's engine. During the actual oil change service, the mechanic was very thorough and efficient. They not only drained the existing oil completely, but they also replaced the oil filter and checked the fluid levels of the vehicle's various systems. I was also pleased to see that the mechanic used only high-quality synthetic oil to ensure that my engine was well-protected and would continue to perform at its best. The oil was also backed up by a manufacturer's warranty, which just added to my peace of mind. Overall, I can highly recommend this particular mechanic for anyone looking for a top-notch oil change service for their Nissan Rogue hybrid. They were knowledgeable, meticulous, and used only the highest-quality materials, ensuring that my car was running at its best when I pulled off their lot. read more

One of the standout features of Sam Auto Hybrid is their commitment to using only the highest quality parts and materials in their repairs. They understand that hybrid vehicles require specialized components, and they work closely with leading manufacturers to source the best parts for each job. This ensures that your vehicle is repaired to the highest possible standard and is operating at peak performance. In addition to their technical expertise and dedication to quality, Sam Auto Hybrid also provides exceptional customer service. The team at the front desk takes the time to listen to their customers' concerns and ensure that customers fully understand the mechanic's repair process. They also provide detailed and transparent pricing information, so you know exactly what to expect before any work is done. Overall, Sam Auto Hybrid is the ideal choice for anyone in need of hybrid vehicle repair. Their technical expertise, commitment to quality, and exceptional customer service make them stand out from the competition. So if you're in need of hybrid vehicle repairs, look no further than Sam Auto Hybrid. read more

The Persian-owned car mechanic shop that I recently visited provided an exceptionally smooth and efficient process from start to finish. As soon as I walked in, the staff greeted me warmly and showed exemplary professionalism throughout my visit. The mechanic who worked on my car was not only knowledgeable but also very friendly and approachable. They patiently explained the issues with my vehicle in great detail, ensuring that I had a clear understanding of what needed to be done. What I really appreciated about this Persian-run shop was their exceptional communication skills. They kept me informed every step of the way, providing regular updates on the progress of the repairs. In addition to their expertise and customer service, they went above and beyond by cleaning my car inside and out, ensuring that it was not only running well but also looking its best. Overall, the experience at this Persian-owned car mechanic was fantastic. I highly recommend them for their quality auto repair services and outstanding customer care. Thank you to the whole team for your kindness and dedication! read more

I have been driving my hybrid Toyota for 7 years and I love my car , tow weeks ago my car unexpectedly stop and I was Frustrated, one local mechanic inspect my car and gave me bad news , the problem was Hybrid battery , I called the dealership and they were not friendly and they gave me a huge price beyond my believe, and they told me I have to tow the car , fortunately the mechanic gave me a phone no of a repair shop named: SaM auto ,I called the place and someone with not very good English talk to me and kindly told me no problem , in 25 minutes some young guy came with a battery and in couple's of minutes change mine and said I have to take the car to the shop and will be ready Tomorrow afternoon and the price he told me was not even close to dealer , he even gave me a ride home , it has been tow weeks I am driving my car and I am so impressed by professional job and politeness of people working in this shop , I highly recommend this place specially the head mechanic by the name of Angle is amazing. read more

My Prius gave me the red triangle of death and I was devastated! I thought I would have to spend thousands of dollars to replace my hybrid battery and be out of a car for days... until I called Sam Auto. Their staff was very knowledgeable and knew exactly what was wrong. They quoted me a price less than half of what I was getting from others nearby and they included a 2-year warranty. I was in and out of there in LESS THAN 1-HOUR!! Also, I let them know that I had trouble unscrewing my oil filter last time I changed my oil, and I asked if that was bad for my car. They offered to give me a new oil filter and install it for me FOR FREE! Oh and by the way, while I was waiting, they were so hospitable. They offered me home cooked food that one of their moms made earlier, they offered me beverages and just made me feel at home. I've never had an experience this good at any establishment, let alone a mechanic shop! I wish I could give 6 stars! read more

i've been visiting this shop on a regular basis since early 2023. I bring my Prius in every 3k miles for an oil change (quick). Aside from regular maintenance, i've had several mechanical repairs/services done such as: - ABS system - brakes / brake pump replacement - CV axel replacement - catalytic converter security - cracked oil pan replacement - shock/struts replacement the lead mechanic Mr. Angel has always been a pleasure to work with, a mechanic you can TRUST. any job big or small you can bet he'll get it done right and at a fair price. Recently, my ABS actuator had failed, Angel took 10 minutes out of packed shop to diagnose my vehicle. On this occasion they had to keep my car overnight and were generous enough to provide a loaner vehicle. Sam and Kouroush are super friendly and accommodating as well. the staff here at SAH are A+ and truly care about their clients. I will always choose SAM Auto Hybrid for my Prius/hybrid needs. read more

Damn. I really hate leaving negative reviews. I paid these guys to install a Prius hybrid battery on Jan 25 and all was good.....until it wasn't. The battery no longer holds a charge and all my instrument lights are on, which is exactly what it did before they installed their battery. I contacted them and they claim it's my instrument cluster and they will be happy to diagnose if I have the car towed 100+ miles to them. I tried to call/text again today and they won't take my calls. These guys were happy to drive to my house and install a crappy battery, but honoring their 1 year/12k warranty is another issue. Such a bummer. I really wanted to leave them a good review, but feel like I've been taken advantage of and am out $$$. read more

We are a retired American couple living in Mexico between Rosarito and Ensenada. The Hybrid battery on our 2005 Prius went out. The least expensive used battery here was over $3,000. We called Michael at Sam's Auto Hybrid. Michael sent Ray, one of his technicians down the next day and replaced it for less than a $1000.00! Ray took the time to explain everything he was doing and even gave us some tips on how to keep our hybrid battery healthy. There are many retired Americans down here with hybrids and now we have found someone to recommend. Thanks Ray for your prompt and professional service. We really appreciate all you did for us. Also, thanks Michael for going the extra mile to help us. You guys are the best. Hugh L read more

Wow, great service, quick turnaround, and very reasonable prices. My 2009 Nissan Altima had only been serviced at the dealership until recently. All the warning lights went off in my car and it died on the side of the road. Towed to dealer got a laundry list of issues with an estimate of approx. $3,500 for a new battery and various related components. A friend of mine recommended a 2nd opinion from Sam's where he had his Prius serviced. Well it turned out there was no problem with the battery, rather it was a couple of modules related to the recharging process. $389 out the door. The car runs fine, no warning lights, and all charging meters show the car fully charging. I highly recommend Sam's Hybrid. read more

For a long time, I have been jumping from place to place trying to find a nice shop with kind and responsible service for my car services. I have been trying to find somewhere that I can trust because it's not easy with a many people always being shady at auto shops. I at least wanted somewhere I can always go for oil changes! Thank God I have finally found it. Amazing mechanics and amazing customer service. Thank you Sam dear for helping me with the paperwork. I appreciate these people so much. They were so fast and my oil was changed so quickly and I am just happy that they also accept my car for other services. I am so happy I found somewhere good. God bless these people and this business. read more

I don't normally write reviews but I want to write a short summary of my experience with the Auto Sam. I recently purchased a Toyota Prius from Auto Sam. The manager was called Koorosh, he was friendly and helpful in answering all my questions and the purchasing process and after. The car was in good condition, Koorosh and his team were honest and truthful about every single item on the car and addressed the issues. Even after a couple of days, they followed through and agreed to do some enhancements on the house, and kept me updated along the way (something that not all sales people do). If you're looking for a reliable vehicle at a fair price, I would definitely recommend Auto Sam. read more